It has rained off and on all day. On many of the US bases, there are BBQ’s and celebrations in spite of the weather. Tonight there will be fireworks. It is good to celebrate Independence Day of one’s country.

This is a difficult time for many of us ex-pats. How do I explain or apologize for the mess my government has made in other countries? A disaster that is costing, in lives and injuries, more and more each week of both service members and the civilian population. My country broke away, and fought a war, in order to become free of what another country thought was the right way to govern/rule. We have strayed rather far these last five years from what I think the countries founders really intended.

The answers that were so clear in 1998 became less easy in 2003 & 2004, but probably possible. And now? Mired in a conflict that is obviously a civil war, [we] seem not willing to acknowledge our role in igniting starting it, nor our role seeding the elements that have caused disagreement to flame out of control.

Sometimes, an effort to make the world a better place can back-fire. It takes courage to admit it and call a halt. We did that in the early 70s. Do we have the political resolve to do so now, before it costs 58,000 souls?

[off soap box]

Kauni Cardigen

Casting on, the ribbing is done and I am into the first pattern repeat. A note that I need to post over on the Kauni KAL is that the non-rainbow colourways have fewer and longer repeats of the colours. I really like the contrast of the dark reds with the greys. It will not be bright, but it will be elegant.

Sockapalooza4

I was just about to start down the heel, when a brilliant thought hit me. Why don’t I just slide all those stitches onto a circular needle and try it on. My foot and ankle are probably smaller, but it might give me an idea of how it was going to look and feel.

Well, guess what? It is too small. Too small to get over my heel means that it is going to be too small for my pal. Twisted stitch patterns have little give.

Lovely little measuring stick in my hand – the gauge is 9/”. I obviously need to do some redrafting. The pattern is too dense to have very much give. It needs either few more stitches placed carefully between the pattern elements or knit at a larger gauge. . To make sure that it is all clear and avoid errors, I want to have a printed copy. On to cut, paste and curse the printer that no longer wants to feed oftener than every third sheet.

Finally complete, I just took another look at the pattern. I taped down all of the elements, aligning the wrong ends of the patterns. A good night’s sleep is in order. Tomorrow is soon enough to cut, tape and replace everything.

-Holly